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How to strip paint from copper ?

I'm thinking to rebuild a victorian lamp post lantern.
It is in a sorry state but is complete and can be made good.
All copper construction so can be straightened and soldered.
It has been painted, and overpainted, many times.
I cannot make any repairs until the metal is clean

Any ideas please on how to remove the layers of paint?
Using heat & scraper is, I think, a non-starter. Too much damage to flat
areas and all but impossible in more intricate areas.
I don't know effect what nitromors or any other paint stripper might have on
the metal.

I hope, when this in in good shape and workable, to leave it to weather
eventually to a pleasant green.
It will be kept well out of distance of thieves, lead strippers and other
assorted neerdowells.

On Thu, 17 Jul 2008 21:44:30 +0100, "Phil"
wrote:
I'm thinking to rebuild a victorian lamp post lantern.
It is in a sorry state but is complete and can be made good.
All copper construction so can be straightened and soldered.
It has been painted, and overpainted, many times.
I cannot make any repairs until the metal is clean

Any ideas please on how to remove the layers of paint?
Using heat & scraper is, I think, a non-starter. Too much damage to flat
areas and all but impossible in more intricate areas.
I don't know effect what nitromors or any other paint stripper might have on
the metal.

I don't really think that Nitromors will have any effect on the
copper, especially if you wash the stuff off after it's done its job.

On Thu, 17 Jul 2008 22:59:43 +0000, Stephen Howard wrote:
Nitromors will be fine as long as you don't leave it on for any
significant period of time ( i.e. overnight ). It won't do any damage
as such, but it might discolour the metal slightly.

It also won't do any good: you have to catch Nitromors at the right point
or the paint hardens again and won't come off. You could use caustic (e.g.
Ronstrip) which strips more the longer it's left (up to a point)

On Thu, 17 Jul 2008 21:44:30 +0100, "Phil"
wrote:
I'm thinking to rebuild a victorian lamp post lantern.
It is in a sorry state but is complete and can be made good.
All copper construction so can be straightened and soldered.
It has been painted, and overpainted, many times.
I cannot make any repairs until the metal is clean

Any ideas please on how to remove the layers of paint?
Using heat & scraper is, I think, a non-starter. Too much damage to flat
areas and all but impossible in more intricate areas.
I don't know effect what nitromors or any other paint stripper might have on
the metal.

Nitromors will be fine as long as you don't leave it on for any
significant period of time ( i.e. overnight ). It won't do any damage
as such, but it might discolour the metal slightly.
Intricate areas might be better stripped with a flame gun and a small
pick - or a fine brass brush. You should be OK with regard to any
solderwork as long as you keep the flame moving.

On Thu, 17 Jul 2008 22:17:21 GMT, John Stumbles
wrote:
On Thu, 17 Jul 2008 22:59:43 +0000, Stephen Howard wrote:
Nitromors will be fine as long as you don't leave it on for any
significant period of time ( i.e. overnight ). It won't do any damage
as such, but it might discolour the metal slightly.

It also won't do any good: you have to catch Nitromors at the right point
or the paint hardens again and won't come off. You could use caustic (e.g.
Ronstrip) which strips more the longer it's left (up to a point)

True, you have to keep the stuff moist or you end up with a mess
that's almost as hard to remove as the paint.

In article ,
"Phil" writes:
I'm thinking to rebuild a victorian lamp post lantern.
It is in a sorry state but is complete and can be made good.
All copper construction so can be straightened and soldered.
It has been painted, and overpainted, many times.
I cannot make any repairs until the metal is clean

Any ideas please on how to remove the layers of paint?
Using heat & scraper is, I think, a non-starter. Too much damage to flat
areas and all but impossible in more intricate areas.
I don't know effect what nitromors or any other paint stripper might have on
the metal.

I've used methylene chloride based paint stripper very
successfully on copper pipework. Paint on, leave for a few
minutes, and wipe off. Not sure about effectiveness in intricate
areas. Might need a stiff brush (made of something which doesn't
dissolve in methylene chloride and doesn't scratch copper), and
protection against flicking the paint stripper on yourself.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

"Phil" wrote in message
...
I'm thinking to rebuild a victorian lamp post lantern.
It is in a sorry state but is complete and can be made good.
All copper construction so can be straightened and soldered.
It has been painted, and overpainted, many times.
I cannot make any repairs until the metal is clean

Any ideas please on how to remove the layers of paint?
Using heat & scraper is, I think, a non-starter. Too much damage to flat
areas and all but impossible in more intricate areas.
I don't know effect what nitromors or any other paint stripper might have
on the metal.

I hope, when this in in good shape and workable, to leave it to weather
eventually to a pleasant green.
It will be kept well out of distance of thieves, lead strippers and other
assorted neerdowells.

Have it gently sandblasted if the finish is not to be polished.

Otherwise a local paint stripper company might be a better advice service